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Good morning,

Before we get into this week's news, a reminder that 37-year-old Dion Fraser Sr. has been missing from Seabird Island since April 2 — if you have any information, please call 911 and reference RCMP file 26-13879.

It's shaping up to be a busy weekend with tulip fields, farm fun, and dog-friendly cider flights on offer. Tractor Day at Greendale Acres is rain or shine, so no excuses if the clouds roll in.

– Emily

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🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope | Mission

🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.

🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.

A Chilliwack-based team of University of the Fraser Valley alumni has launched Northsocial.ca, a Canadian social media platform designed to give users an alternative to U.S.-dominated tech giants.

The platform is owned by Zynim Media Inc. and co-founded by former UFV students Colin Schmidt, Kalvin Morrow, and Lindsay Comeau, along with Jill Santos and Brenda Currie. Schmidt, who studied Computer Information Systems at UFV, serves as CEO.

"Our goal is to make sure Canadians have a place to be Canadian and communicate without the influence of big-tech algorithms that are out of our control," Schmidt says. "We aren't anti anything — we're just pro-Canada."

The platform includes familiar social media features like commenting, following, and reactions, and stores user data on Canadian servers. A website is already live, with an app in development.

Growth has been gradual but accelerating. After eight months with only a few hundred users, the platform has grown tenfold in the past six weeks. Schmidt attributes much of that to word of mouth, with the team spreading the word both online and by hanging posters in coffee shops.

The team plans to add groups, a marketplace, and gaming features as the platform grows — all largely funded by sweat equity so far.

"It takes perseverance. It takes passion and you must believe in it," Schmidt says. "The amount of enthusiasm within our team right now is definitely 10 out of 10."

At Pickmick Dairy in Delta, Melissa Thibaudier balances motherhood, technology, and a generational legacy. Her story reveals the care, precision, and people behind every jug of milk. Read how B.C.'s next generation of farmers is adapting to keep food on our tables. Read her story.

🔍 Sq'éwqel First Nation is asking for help locating 37-year-old Dion Fraser Sr., last seen in the Chawathil area on April 2; call 911 and reference RCMP file 26-13879. [The Hope Standard]

🏕️ The province began clearing the Cole Road rest stop encampment in Abbotsford on Tuesday, with the last two residents packing up after more than three years; full cleanup is expected by end of April. [CBC News]

🍎 A Chilliwack elementary school teacher was reprimanded by the BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation for asking students if they wanted to "go to the chokey" and banging a stick on desks to get their attention. [Vancouver Sun]

🚗 Two men in Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs were caught impaired driving last week after police observed them urinating in public before getting behind the wheel. [Fraser Valley Today]

⚠️ An inmate was assaulted at Kent Institution in Agassiz on March 31 and taken to hospital; the CSC and Agassiz RCMP are investigating. [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]

🐟 The BC Wildlife Federation is hosting a town hall in Langley on April 18 on proposed changes to the federal Salmon Allocation Policy, which the federation says could fundamentally shift how Pacific salmon are managed. [Langley Advance Times]

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Tractor Day at Greendale Acres: Celebrate Tractor Day at Greendale Acres on April 11-12 with tractor displays, wagon rides, a pancake breakfast, face painting, animal feedings, and a learn-to-plow station; runs rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Magic of Spring at Taves Family Farms: Wander through a tulip-lined enchanted garden at Taves Family Farms in Abbotsford from April 12–14, with gnome homes, a princess carriage, and tree carvings tucked among the blooms.

Pup Picnic at Taves Estate Cidery: Bring your dog to Taves Estate Cidery in Abbotsford on April 12 for an afternoon of treats, toys, and cider flights for both you and your pup.

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